Director, Advanced Cooling Category Management

Vantage Data Centers

Director managing global mechanical category strategy for advanced thermal management systems at Vantage Data Centers. Overseeing supplier performance and driving total cost of ownership improvements.

Posted 6/12/2026full-timeRemote • Arizona, California, Colorado, Virginia • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $190,000 - $200,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Build and execute global category strategy for air and liquid cooling infrastructure aligned to capacity growth, reliability targets, and engineering standards
Map global supply base by technology and region, establishing preferred supplier frameworks and regional execution models
Lead sourcing and negotiations for mechanical equipment, including chillers, cooling towers, CDUs, pumps, and heat exchangers, as well as spares and service agreements
Develop contracting strategies including indexed commodities, bundled equipment and installation, time-and-material vs fixed-price structures, warranties, and performance guarantees
Partner with Engineering and Product to drive specification alignment, design-to-cost initiatives, and development of standard equipment building blocks and approved equipment libraries
Coordinate with Quality and Commissioning to define acceptance criteria (FAT/SAT), documentation requirements, and change control processes
Ensure supplier capacity planning for long-lead equipment and manage expediting, escalation, and recovery plans to mitigate schedule risk
Lead supplier performance management including scorecards, QBRs, reliability tracking, corrective action programs, and continuous improvement initiatives
Manage risks associated with cooling systems, including single-source exposure, regulatory impacts, extreme-weather resilience, and controls obsolescence
Drive total cost of ownership improvements across energy efficiency, water usage, maintenance strategies, and lifecycle performance
Develop cost models, should-cost benchmarks, and pricing frameworks for equipment, installation, and commissioning
Maintain contract portfolios including framework agreements, service/maintenance agreements, warranty terms, and spares strategies
Deliver supplier performance dashboards, risk registers, and executive-level insights on category performance and supply risks

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field; equivalent experience considered
5+ years of experience in category management or sourcing within mechanical systems, HVAC, or capital equipment
Working knowledge of advanced cooling technologies including air-cooled and water-cooled systems, pumping/hydronics, and liquid cooling architectures
Experience with capital equipment procurement, contracting, and lifecycle cost analysis
Strong negotiation, cost modeling, and supplier management expertise
Ability to partner cross-functionally with engineering, construction, commissioning, and operations teams
Experience managing supplier performance, reliability metrics, and risk mitigation strategies
Understanding of commissioning, acceptance testing, and product lifecycle requirements for mechanical infrastructure
Travel required is expected to be up to 20% but may increase over time as the business evolves.

Benefits

Comp & perks

medical, dental, and vision coverage
life and AD&D insurance
short and long-term disability coverage
paid time off
employee assistance program
participation in a 401k program that includes company match
additional voluntary benefits

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

mechanical systemsHVACcapital equipment procurementcontractinglifecycle cost analysiscost modelingsupplier managementadvanced cooling technologiesair-cooled systemswater-cooled systems

Soft Skills

negotiationcross-functional collaborationrisk mitigationsupplier performance managementcontinuous improvement

Certifications

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical EngineeringBachelor’s degree in Supply Chain